Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Posted in Mystery on May 8, 2021

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✍️ 79 stories

“Girls in Trouble” by Tammy Patton

Submitted to Contest #12

Hannah, the only permanent resident of Aunt Mae's Place aside from Mae, is on the porch swing, reading Goosebumps, when I arrive. Her unruly hair is half in and half out of a ponytail, her round cheeks flushed. She frowns, deepening the lines between her brown eyes. "You're late." “How can I be late? I said I’d be here Saturday morning and it’s---” "Aunt Mae is already gone, Ellen. Gone.” "It's only for one night. I'm here to keep you company." "I know that, Ellen. Mae told me." Hannah glares at the object in my hand. "Where did you get that...

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“Did I Kill June?” by Lene Ebunoluwa

Submitted to Contest #12

I was ten years old. Before we left for school that morning, my sister and I got into a fight at the dining table. June was a bag of temper. She flared up at every little thing. "May, go put back those books you littered the floor with back on the shelf when you're done eating." Mum said rather coldly. She didn't even look at me. I asked myself a question that every child going through what I was going through had probably asked themselves. I asked that question often those days. Almost everyday. Was I adopted? Mayb...

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“Island Paradise” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #12

We islanders often appear to mainlanders as either simple and open or stand-offish and tricky. We’ve been the reason visitors are sure they want to buy a cabin and spend their summers here, as well rumors that we cheat visitors out of their cash at every turn. Tourists come with expectations of easy-pickings and a show of gratitude by island hicks. They may leave feeling the kindly black-berry picker providing directions, intentionally sent them the longest way back to our tiny harbor, only to ensure they missed their sailing, had to purchas...

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“The mystery within” by Maria Madeira

Submitted to Contest #12

'What would you consider a mystery?' Maria asked herself. An avid reader of books, she also admittedly had Sarhara like dry spells. Every so often she might go months without reading one. Then on any given day the urge to read would hit her again. The urge was more a calling really. Maria would be out on an errand and suddenly glimpse a book in a shop window. More over she might be at an antiques fair and a tittle on a second-hand book would call out to her. Almost as if the book was a live object.. 'Buy me' the book would say. 'I have some...

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“An Abundance of Wrens” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #12

Wren climbed into her bed, sighing with contentment at the familiarity that contrasted to the rest of the day. Relief flooded through her, an emotion she hadn't had the luxury of associating herself with in the past couple of weeks, as she finally concluded that soon it would all be over, the dread she had felt prior to this day would all have been for no cause, because if she was supposed to die today then there was little to no chance that her death would occur in the remaining 42 minutes of the day, providing her theory was correct of cou...

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“The Bitter Cherry” by Aleko Mitroudid

Submitted to Contest #12

Once, upon a middle age time, there lived a good and cheerful woman up high on a mountain peak. No big city to be seen for miles, stretching in the four arrows of the compass. Only company she had were the animals, the trees and her fellow villagers. And all of them knew who she was, all the people in the village. Because she was a sweet and kind woman but also, because she was fast to gossip and held the knowledge on everyone and everything they did. Scared the people were of her and what would happen to them if she opened up her...

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“Second Time Around” by June Kempf

Submitted to Contest #12

Second Time Around by June Capossela Kempf There it was: perched on a chair in a Saint James, Long Island yard sale. As soon as I saw it, I recognized it. It used to be mine. It was the same clock I threw out three years ago two towns away in Northport– actually put it out on the curb - in a down-sizing panic attack - and regretted doing so ever since.It is not a rare phenomenon that items of value often wind up tossed to the curb, only to be rescued in the early hours of the next morning by a guy in a pick-up truck. I...

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“The Missing Sister ” by Ava Harris

Submitted to Contest #12

Once upon a time, there was a town. The town was in the middle of nowhere, and it wasn’t big, but it wasn’t small either. I lived in this town, and I am one of the very few people who witnessed the mysteries that happened here. Now, I am sharing them with you. It was late October. The red, orange and yellow leaves were a kaleidoscope of colors, like someone had painted the trees. The sky was an endless ocean of blue and white, while the snow-covered grass was turned white. My breath billowed around my mouth as I sat outside watch...

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“Unwelcome Sojourner ” by Shavon Evelyn

Submitted to Contest #12

Agatha looked fondly at the remains of her garden. Reminiscing, seeing it in full bloom. The dried browns and grays of reality could wait another day. The scorching sun threatened her safety as it made its way through the clouds to midday. She only had a few minutes before she’d have to retreat to the safety of her tinted glass covered porch. Goodbar sprang to life barking at some unseen disturbance. He scratched at the door frame trying to break free. Maybe one of those beavers that kept digging up her yard. &n...

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“The Death of a Dead Man” by Leah Mueller

Submitted to Contest #12

It was raining that night. It wasn’t supposed to rain. The weather channel promised clear skies, but still, the rain pounded upon the pavement. The slapping of water against concrete ricocheted in my ears. I batted at them to stop the ringing, but it only made the droning louder. The gas station in the next parking lot was relatively empty, its buzzing neon lights creating a glow around the entire building. I tried to focus on that fact—at least something was going right for me. &nb...

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“Tick Tock, Analog Clock” by Sarah Harris

Submitted to Contest #12

Verity turned the key in the driver’s door of her red Taurus. It unlocked with a snick. She opened the door and pressed the unlock button to let her boyfriend Daniel in. The pair settled in on the tan seats. Daniel shivered; the leather was cold through his jeans. The trek across campus to the student parking lot had left them both chilled, and while the car provided protection from the wind, it did nothing to actually warm them. Verity turned the key in the ignition; the car whined a bit before it came to life. Classical music streamed soft...

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“Chosen” by Michelle Colbert

Submitted to Contest #12

"Have you heard the news?" Betty asked, I looked up at her. It was lunch time at school, I was sitting at a table alone."What news?" I asked, I adjusted myself on the bench wondering what she was talking about. Everyone was staring at us, I looked around realizing it was just me they were staring at. I looked back up at her, she had this, sinister smile on her face."You were chosen" she answered with such excitement. Which I found weird, Betty does not like me. Ever since someone found out that Riley likes me, and told everyone. B...

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“The Empty Elevator” by Umar A.

Submitted to Contest #12

It was the night of the blizzard - the 17th of October, 1998 - that my wife, Fernanda, and I found ourselves en-route to Samuel Peterson’s mansion in the woods. It was an impressive structure, though it looked almost gothic bogged down in the snow, with white lights throwing shadows over the lawn. “I gotta say, I do like his sense of style.”“Sam’s always fancied himself something of a Victorian.” I said, helping Fernanda out the car. Hugging our coats close to our bodies, breathing into our scarves, we stepped onto the porch and rang th...

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“Jack Out Of The Box” by Amy Hill

Submitted to Contest #12

Jack Out Of The Box With Jack being out of the box I knew that more people would be in danger of getting trapped in here with us. This meant that me, Alex and the girls would have to find a way out. After Jack had taken over Alex’s body, Alex was zapped into the box with the rest of us, except he was in Jack’s body, it was freaky to see him like that. I forgave Alex for what he had done, he really didn’t have a choice, jack was obviously controlling him as much as he could, and I knew he wouldn’t...

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“The Foul Ball” by Jeri Torrance

Submitted to Contest #12

I had grown up in Wrigley Ville as it was referred to by the locals. My family and I lived in Waveland, just across from the ballpark itself. I loved sports, but baseball was my passion, and living in this area only fueled my love of the game. I ran around with a group of boys, mostly good kids. There were a few that had started hanging out with us; they were older and had a rougher attitude. I was only thirteen, one of the youngest in the group, and I was teased by the newer guys when the others were...

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Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 79 stories

“Girls in Trouble” by Tammy Patton

“Did I Kill June?” by Lene Ebunoluwa

“Island Paradise” by Unknown User

“The mystery within” by Maria Madeira

“An Abundance of Wrens” by Unknown User

“The Bitter Cherry” by Aleko Mitroudid

“Second Time Around” by June Kempf

“The Missing Sister ” by Ava Harris

“Unwelcome Sojourner ” by Shavon Evelyn

“The Death of a Dead Man” by Leah Mueller

“Tick Tock, Analog Clock” by Sarah Harris

“Chosen” by Michelle Colbert

“The Empty Elevator” by Umar A.

“Jack Out Of The Box” by Amy Hill

“The Foul Ball” by Jeri Torrance

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that takes place in a small town where news travels fast.

Write a story about a character with a sidekick.

Write a story featuring a protagonist with a knack for getting to the bottom of things.

Write a story that features an ensemble cast of characters.

Contest #12

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

175

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: